Dayton presses for stepped-up U.S. efforts to prevent foot-and-mouth disease

Posted 4/11/01

Dayton presses for stepped-up U.S. efforts to prevent foot-and-mouth disease

U.S. Senator Mark Dayton recently met with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman and pressed her to do everything necessary to prevent highly-contagious foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) from infecting U.S. livestock herds.

Dayton said he reiterated his support for current federal efforts to stop FMD from infecting U.S. livestock, including restrictions on imports of animals and animal products from Europe, where the disease is devastating herds and the economic well-being of livestock producers. Dayton also reiterated his call for USDA to ìerr on the side of cautionî by expanding the ban to certain European dairy products still allowed in the United States.

ìI told Secretary Veneman it would be economically devastating to livestock producers in Minnesota and other states if the disease were to spread to this country,î Dayton said. ìI support current efforts to keep FMD out, but given the magnitude of the losses that could result should it reach the United States, USDA should err on the side of caution and include certain dairy products in the current ban. We shouldnít take chances with the economic well-being of our livestock producers.î

Dayton told Veneman that Minnesota dairy producers are especially concerned that European milk protein concentrate (MPC) and casein could carry the foot-and-mouth virus into major dairy-producing regions in Minnesota and across the country.

Keeping school lunches safe

Dayton also told Veneman that USDA was right to back off of a controversial plan to ease salmonella testing requirements on ground meat purchased for school lunches. Veneman told Dayton that after consideration USDA will now leave in place current procedures for salmonella testing.

ìOur top priority ñ especially when it comes to our school children ñ is to make sure our food is safe to eat,î Dayton said. ìI am glad that the Bush Administration backed off plans to ease salmonella standards.î

Dayton backs Legislation to make Foot-and-Mouth, ìMad Cowî prevention a priority

Dayton also supported the ìAnimal Disease Risk Assessment, Prevention, and Control Act,î which was expected to pass the Senate Thursday evening. The measure asks the Bush Administration to report to Congress on all short- and long-term federal efforts to stop both FMD and so-called ìMad Cowîdisease from infecting U.S. livestock herds.

Dayton said the legislation requires the administration to report to Congress within 30 days on immediate plans to prevent infection of U.S. livestock and to request any additional resources necessary to do so.

The measure also asks the Administration to report within 180 days on long-term efforts to prevent the diseases. That report will include information on the economic damage the diseases could inflict on the U.S. livestock industry, as well as the possible public health risks the diseases pose.

Dayton said the measure also contains a provision that he pushed to require Agriculture Secretary Veneman to review existing bans on imports of animals and animal products and to report on whether any further restrictions are needed.